Priorities of The Mind
by Sisenge The Shaky
Summary: Everyone has priorities in their lives. Most would be love, school, family or friendship. Either way, our priorities are things we should always consider first before anything else. Which priorities will prevail? Those of the Mind or those of the Heart?
1. Prologue I: Satou Nanako

**Priorities of The Mind**

**Disclaimer:** Prince Of Tennis is not mine as its rightful owner is Takeshi Konomi. The only thing I own in this fan fiction is this idea and my OCs.  
**Summary:** Everyone has priorities in their lives. Most would be love, school, family or friendship. Either way, our priorities are things we should always consider first before anything else. But our priorities are often the source of confusion and indecisiveness as there are of two main priorities. One of the mind and one of the heart. Which will prevail?  
**Chapter Summary:** Through the eyes of Yamada Hiroki and Kawada Eri, is the life of Satou 'Nana' Nanako.  
**Author's Interference:** Due to a very bad virus, I've lost all of my notes for 'The Untypical Duo of Hyoutei' as well as everything else. So there fore, this is the 'new' version of 'The Untypical Duo of Hyoutei'. I'm sorry for/to those who read my other story and for my rather long absence. =_=

* * *

**Prologue: Study Group – Satou Nanako**

It is tough being a third-year student at Hyoutei Academy. Especially when majority of the third-year students there are all of high status, whose parents hired professional private tutors of every subject known man and whatever else they learn that is considered 'high-class'. Yes indeed, being a third-year Hyoutei student is tough.

It is especially tough for third-year honour students, whom are often from the middle-class part of Tokyo, to compete with the high-class students in sport and academics, cope with their on-going harassment and those who abuse their high status to do horrible things as well as managed their time properly to handle the piles of homework that they get from school and cram-school. Not only is the competitiveness an all-going high but there is truck-loads of preparation exams for going into a good junior high school of your choice.

This was clearly the case for the older of the Satou sisters, Satou Nanako, whom was currently in her room with her childhood friend Yamada Hiroki, her best friends Kawada Eri and Watanabe Kobe, trying to finish what was left of her homework with the help from her overly intelligent friends.

oOxXxXxOo

After much explaining, yelling as well as pointing, Nana finally understood what the French words meant and how to properly string them into a proper sentence. Her face brightened somewhat, when I also taught her how to pronounce them properly which was an added bonus to her it seems. I might be tough on Nana but it helps her get through her classes. And so long as it helps her pass, I'm a happy man.

Soon she was once again buried in the massive loads of homework that was due either tomorrow or the next day after. Nana had already finished with her maths, English and home economics homework. However her French and Greek homework were a bit of a challenge for her to finish. After helping her out, it was Eri-kun's turn to help and she was already on her way in assisting Nana with her Greek homework.

Since Ko-kun and I had finished helping Nana, we just chilled out in her room. Ko-kun was taking a small nap, his messy mop of white spikes leaning on the edge of the soft covered bed, trying to get rid of school related items out of his system. I, on the other hand, decided to look around Nana's newly decorated room.

The plaster walls were painted a shade of brown, the colour of chocolate milk. The soft carpet floor was another shade of light brown, mocha brown. I smiled at the different shades of brown that I see almost everywhere in Nana room, and smiled widely when I finally noticed her ecru-coloured pyjamas patterned with small burnt umber spirals.

I distantly remember in my first year art class that the colour brown meant down-to-earth, honesty and warmth. Nana was indeed those things since she was raised in a very traditional household but nonetheless didn't loose her warm demeanour that she has with other people. Her sincerity was also genuine and was, I have to admit, rather refreshing.

But if there is one fatal flaw with her honesty and upbringing it was the fact that she was so honest that it often got her into loads of trouble and the fact that she was rather... an uptight prude for the lack of a better description. In my opinion, Nana really needs to loosen up and live her life a little more! She needs to socialise outside her family, neighbourhood and our little circle of friends. Only thing is, Nana's pretty damn adamant about her priorities. "I want to get through middle school and into junior high. And my grandparents need Rin and me to look after the house." There are really times where I want to say that she doesn't need to and that she needs to live out what's left of her childhood, but once Nana sets her mind to something she goes all the way. It's really impossible to stop her when that happens.

Pochi, her little chestnut brown puppy, was happily enjoying the fact that there were so many people in the house today. He wanted, practically needed, the attention so he did a few tricks to grab ours, especially Nana's. I smirked, when I saw Nana trying her best to ignore her playful companion and focus on her almost-completed Greek homework. But Pochi, persistent in grabbing her attention and did what Nana can't possibly ignore or resist. He rolled onto his back, soft underside showing and whined cutely.

Sighing in resignation, Nana smiled as she stroked her little puppy's underside, enjoying herself immensely with her puppy. Nana continued petting and stroking as Pochi let himself get spoiled by his master's attention, and enjoying her affection. I know because he has that stupid, satisfied look on his face. Happy panting and tongue sticking out, the works.

Damn, I feel sorry for Nana's future boyfriend when he finds out that she spoils her puppy with her warm attention and affection. And possibly be second best in her most cherished list with Pochi, her family and us, her friends, coming first.

oOxXxXxOo

I couldn't help but laugh, when I saw Nana-chan caved in to Pochi's cuteness as well when I saw Hiro-chan's try-hard smirk. I helped gather her homework and placed them in the right notebooks. As much as I was good at Greek and it being my favourite subject, I'm not perfect like the pompous jerk Atobe was, so I couldn't help Nana-chan answer all her questions. Freaking hell, I ALWAYS come second to that...that... fruity snob when it comes to Greek, MY favourite subject.

"Eri-kun, you're going to ruin Nana's neat notebook." Crap. I forgot that there was another fruity snob in the room. Seriously, how the heck did Nana-chan EVER become friends with that fruity snob?

"Shut up, Hiro-chan. At least, I don't sound like a try-hard Oshitari wannabe." I smiled, triumphant, when I saw the noticeable irritated twitch in Hiro-chan's eye.

"Well, Eri-kun. At least, I hit puberty unlike you, who still hasn't got her period yet or has yet to loose her baby fat." I growled angrily at the now smirking bastard. It's not my fault I'm a late bloomer! I mean Nana-chan is has a flat chest too! Even flatter than mine!

"And don't you dare compare Nana with you. At least she got her period." ...How the heck does he know something personal like that? I mean, even my DAD doesn't even know.

"Because my grandmother told him when it first happened and to buy me chocolate every time it happened, Eri-chan." Nana-chan currently had a sleeping Pochi on her lap and I could feel my jaw dropping. I can't believe Nana-chan can say that with a straight face especially when it came to...that time of the month.

It must have stayed dropped for awhile as I felt this painful sore in my jaw, a small wetness near the corner of my mouth and heard the fruity laughing.

"......You should......stop thinking......out loud..........And you're......drooling!" The bastard managed to say between his snickers before he let out a loud chuckle as he fell on his back with a soft thud, literally rolling on the floor laughing.

Embarrassed, I wiped the bit of drool from my mouth and grabbed the nearest thing, which happened to be a cushion, and began thrashing him with it. Soon his chuckles were muffled and I was happy and triumphant by the fact that I silenced the bastard that is until he the cushion beneath him and retaliated back.

Soon our cushion fight began as we pelted each other with our respective pillows, completely forgetting that we where we were.

oOxXxXxOo

Amidst the fighting, Satou Nanako had placed Pochi in his basket to sleep better and sat next to her best guy friend, Watanabe Kobe, whom had woken up from the noise. He was watching the humorous scene in front of him unfold before his very eyes with an amused smile. Nanako leaned on his shoulder a little tired from all her studying.

"Thank you for helping with my homework and arranging the study date, Ko-kun." Nanako thanked, genuinely grateful by Kobe's kindness. Nanako looked up to Kobe as a big brother since her real older brother was married and living in Osaka with his wife, Honda Kyoko.

"Hey what are friends for? And besides, someone needs to be the sane one of this crazy group." Kobe replied, rubbing her shoulder in a brotherly way as he chuckled whenever Yamada Hiroko got a face full of cushion by an angry Kawada Eri.

Nanako smiled as she nodded at Kobe's statement and watched as her childhood friend and her best friend duke it out on each other in an all out cushion fight with her albino best friend who laughed all the way.

* * *

**Author's Comments:** It feels weird having to write the Japanese romaji for a lot of things when some criticise about the abusive use of Japanese romaji.

**Author's Notes:** As a little side note here, Nanako's friends are all from wealthy families. These OCs will be given more detail in later chapters.

Otherwise review and/or criticize constructively.


	2. Prologue II: Satou Rin

**Priorities Of The Mind**

**Disclaimer:** Prince Of Tennis is not mine as its rightful owner is Takeshi Konomi. The only thing I own in this fan fiction is this idea and my OCs.  
**Summary:** Everyone has priorities in their lives. Most would be love, school, family or friendship. Either way, our priorities are things we should always consider first before anything else. But our priorities are often the source of confusion and indecisiveness as there are three types of priorities. These are the norm, the mind and the heart.  
**Chapter Summary:** Through the eyes of Kawaguchi Hanako and Honda Maiko, is the life of Satou Rin.

* * *

**Prologue: Science Group Project – Satou Rin**

Being a second year student at Hyoutei Academy is hellish. Since freshman year, second year honour students are often harassed and bullied by their high-class peers about the lack of status in society.

Unlike third-year honour students who may have developed a thick skin to protect themselves from these on-going issues, some second-year honour students often can't handle the sharp end of the sword-like harassment issues as well as managing their time for homework and cram-school. Often some students would result taking the easy way out, which was to move to another school.

However, second year honour student and youngest of the Satou sisters, Satou Rin, was different. Satou Rin, like her older sister Nanako, has the drive and persistence to try hard in everything she does academically and athletically. Not only that, Rin also had the control, to not let what others say about her, influence negatively her potential. Often, she would use the discouragements and put-downs as a sort of drive to exceed further.

But despite all her drives and motivations, Rin was also human. Weaknesses in certain areas, both of academic and athletic, often hinder her potential to exceed further than the high-status students in her class. But that's where her friends, Kawaguchi Hanako and Honda Maiko, come in. All three girls have their own strengths and weaknesses that allow each other to help another out when one needs a helping hand.

oOxXxXxOo

Rin-chan was painting on the last finishing touches on our model of the human lungs for our science assignment. Hana-chan was editing our speech, munching on some prawn crackers as she did. I, on the other hand, was booting up the computer to present our speech in PowerPoint format.

While I was waiting for the computer to boot itself, Rin-chan let out a triumphant yell of "Yes, it is finished!" which was then accompanied by a small thud. I'm guessing, Rin-chan was exhausted from replicating, I mean, _painting_ the intricate details on the lung, like the alveoli. I swear Rin-chan really needs to chill out sometimes. After all, with her perfectionist attitude she'll be stressed out, go crazy and probably start becoming a little _too_ intolerable for me and Hana-chan to control. And Nanako-san would probably get a little annoyed to find her sister being unreasonable.

By the time Rin-chan's Pineapple computer booted up, Hana-chan had also finished editing our speech and had given it to me to publish. Note to self; buy Rin-chan a new Pineapple computer because her current one is ancient. When the PowerPoint program appeared, I started to work on it straight away making it look presentable and easy to read as well as typing up the general facts that our class should know. Like the air we breathe in through our nose is filtered by nose hairs; enters through the trachea; branches off to the bronchioles; the alveoli where oxygen and carbon dioxides exchange and other things like how it is part of the respiratory system, its associated diseases like lung cancer and how it is different from that of an insect's or a fish's.

After around twenty or so minutes of typing and staring at the computer screen, my eyes became watery and started stinging. Hana-chan then took my spot when she saw me rub my eyes profusely, shooing me off the computer and onto the floor where Rin-chan was checking in her diary what else we've got to do for school. As she was checking and ticking things off, I decided to look around in Rin-chan's room.

I'm quite thankful for Rin-chan's choice of colour. Her walls were pale green in colour, the colour of olives. Her carpet soft carpet was also green but a darker shade, probably deep forest green? Soon I've come to realise that Rin-chan's room was quite green, excluding her computer.

"Hey Rin-chan, why is your room so green?" I inquired, curious as to know why she chose green of all colours. This was because when I'm invited by other girl's to their rooms for sleepovers or parties, their rooms would always be the colours of baby blue or various shades pink.

Rin-chan looked up from her diary only to show the smile on her face. I can tell she never thought about that. "Well...I guess, it's because green is my favourite colour. And, maybe it's because I like to be reminded of the beauty of nature, especially the forests and meadows."

Now that she mentions forests and meadows, the scent of this room reminds me of the forests and meadows. The sweet scent keeps changing every once and a while and it's mild, not too hard on the nose to be pungent and not too subtle as to go undetected. I guess it's because of the open window.

Rin-chan seems content now and since she didn't say anything about school work it, probably means that we only have this assignment to focus on since we finished our homework together. Soon Hana-chan yelled at Rin-chan to switch and type the rest of the presentation out. Rin-chan just nodded despite being rudely interrupted and went to 'Perfectionist Mode' and soon she was typing away at the computer as Hana-chan sat next to me.

oOxXxXxOo

There was nothing in Rin's room that was either too girly or too boyish. It's probably because Rin likes the balance of things in life, never too much of this or that. Since we're almost done with our presentation as well as our model, I decided to chill out a bit, enjoy the peace and quiet and snack on the prawn crackers that Rin's grandmother had made for us. But Mai had another idea.

"Hey Hana-chan, who do you think is the hottest from the tennis regulars? Oshitari-senpai? Choutarou-kun? Hiyoshi-kun? Ato-" If I hear another guys' name from the tennis regular team I'll stupidly choke on the cracker I'm eating.

"PLEASE! Don't go naming ALL of them! And why do we need to talk about THEM of all people? Can't we talk about baseball or Fall Out Boy?" Mai made a shocked face, the O of her mouth, the wide blue eyes and hands on her face don't give away, oh no.

"How can we _not_ talk about them? I mean, they're hot! They are so gorgeous! They're like gods!" I feel like puking now.

"But they have egos the size of Jupiter! And they need serious attitude adjustments including Choutarou-san! He's way too nice that it's freaky!" Another gasp from Mai and throws me the angry fan girl glare.

I counter back with my own angry glare. I swear the way we were glaring, if this was an anime there would be lightning at the background and sparks between our eyes.

"Rin-chan! Don't you think the guys on the tennis team are hot?" Oh Mai, resorting to petty tricks now eh? Well two can play at this game!

"Rin! Don't you think those guys seriously need an attitude adjustment?"

Rin stopped typing, considering what to say. Rin is such a careful person, always looking before she leapt and is always such a focused and narrow-minded person. I say narrow-minded, in the sense of being focused on achieving one thing at a time.

After awhile Rin started typing again as she said, "Some of the tennis regulars are, I have to admit are handsome and attractive,"

My face fell as I heard Mai let out a triumphant "Yes! In your face!"

"But I think some of them need to have their personality curbed slightly to be even more attractive."

I smirked as Mai had her shocked face on again. Okay maybe Rin's answer wasn't the one both me and Mai wanted since Rin agreed with both of us. I guess Rin really is a middle person.

oOxXxXxOo

As Satou Rin finally finishes the presentation, copied it to Honda Maiko's USB and safely removed it, she went to her small toy box near her bookshelf and took out a board game from it. Soon she smiled as she placed it on the small work table in front of her friends Kawaguchi Hanako and Honda Maiko.

"So who's up for a game of Snakes and Ladders?"

* * *

**Author's Comments:** Okay that was a little harder to write since I needed to research what Japanese students study on. If there are any inaccuracies about the science subject or the lungs features please tell me so that I can fix it!

**Author's Notes:** As a little side note here, Rin's friends are also from wealthy families. These OCs will be given more detail in a later chapter.

Otherwise review and/or criticize constructively.


End file.
